Cool News
THE SHADOW Knows Sam Raimi!!
Merrick here...
Sam Raimi is bringing back THE SHADOW, whose rights were recently acquired by Columbia.
Siavash Farahani is already locked to write the script.
While Raimi will produce the film, there's no news about whether he'll direct THE SHADOW -- his continuance with the SPIDER-MAN franchise is unclear post SPIDER-MAN 3 & this would certainly seem like a logical possibility. Then again, he may opt for a different genre for his next film...a change of pace...considering how damn long he's been with Spidey.
The last time THE SHADOW hit the big screen was back in 1994 - Russell Mulcahy's version starring Alec Baldwin. 'Twas well produced but lackluster and sloppy (i.e. your standard Mulcahy film); it'll be fun to see what Raimi and company bring to the table this time around.
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Readers Talkback
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How in the hell did HE get the gig?
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WE ORDER YOU, DAMMIT.
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that Raimi team up with Campell again and make some big budget crazy horror film.
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...aw HELL yeah !! Though, I admit to having really liked the Mulcahy version, and even...er.....owning it on dvd. C'mon, for a film starring Alec Baldwin, it was a classic.
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You would think that Raimi would want to do something compelling and original at this point....
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show was classic. I even enjoyed the original version, even if the third act was sloppy, but ultimately forgivable. There were still some great moments in that film. Hope Raimi directs.
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'The Shadow' was on TV late Saturday night and I found myself enjoying it quite a bit. It's not perfect, but has that kind of enjoyable quality like 'Dick Tracy' or 'The Roecketeer'. I hope Raimi will direct..seems like it could be fun! <p> Michael Regina<br> Editor in Chief/Segment Producer<br> http://www.TheOneRing.net<br> http://www.KongisKing.net<br> http://www.TheOneLion.net<br> http://www.gallifreyone.com
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The weed of directors bears bitter movies. So - Damn you Michael Bay!
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What happened to this project? I swore I read something about this on here and many other sites. I require, nay, NEED the symbiotic union of one of my favourite directors with my favourite author!!! It has to be done, dammit!
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Raimi should really find something else to do...maybe work on the remake of "Supergirl".
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I'm definitely looking forward to this... we all know Sam will direct if the script is good...
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if there is a spidey 4 and it focuses on venom, id rather have someone else take the helm. sam said he doesnt like venom so i would like to see someone else's take that. and also would like to see him directing something else. im not familiar with shadow but raimi is very capable. i for one wouldnt want to direct the same types of movies over and over again. so cheers.
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There are so many more interesting properties to develope in the Pulp or Comic book genre. Doc Savage, John Carter, Conan, etc etc.
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Raimi should direct and Bruce Campbell should be The Shadow, otherwise don't bother. The '94 version was great. It featured by far Alec Baldwin's best performance (with the exception of his turn in Glengarry Glen Ross),with his raspy voice being perfect for The Shadow. I know Raimi was slated to direct the '94 version at one time, (which was written by David Koepp who later teamed with Raimi on Spider-Man) so this might be his form of payback.
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He should broaden a little bit and do something different for his next film since he's been tied to the spidey franchise for so long and then get the shadow done...
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let's face it, we have all been bad in our treatment of Alec Baldwin. over the years, we have tasted the humour of calling him "Mr Kim Basigner", but now have to digest the fact that we were harsh. his performances of late, in particular The Departed, have been outstanding. when in South Park Mr Garrison was distraught at the death of all the Baldwins we thought it was funny, now such a concept would be truly tragic. as much as i appreciate the work of Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell, under no circumstances should anyone touch any Alec Baldwin films. they are due for a reappraisal any day now.
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I was going to try to be the first to say Bruce Campbell for The Shadow! But I wasn't logged in. TylerDurden3395 beat me to it. However I agree with him. It's about time to see The Bruce in a leading role. If Mr. Raimi wants Campbell as The Shadow, the studio can't say no because of his success in the Spider-Man franchise. I'll be there no matter what, though.
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...stay with the Spidey franchise dammnit.
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...and watch my nose get bigger! Quality super power!!
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Damn you Alec Baldwin
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Dec. 11, 2006, 12:17 p.m. CST
Bruce Campbell shouldn't be The Shadow, he should be
by RenoNevada2000
- either Shrevvie or Clyde Burke, both of whom are the Shadow's agents. Remember Bruce in the Coehn's HUDSUCKER PROXY? Add in some fisticuffs and that's Burke.
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Or have Baldwin return. He was so awesome in the first movie that it would be a shame if he were not to return. Since I saw the original in the theaters, my mind was rampant with the thought that there would be a sequel. I just hope that this is not the end of the Spidey franchise with Raimi's wanting to do this movie next.
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...I'm a little young to remember the Shadown (although I'm in my 30s), but Campbell really would be an inspired pick. And in lieu of Orson, get James Earl Jones or Morgan Freeman to do the voice. Or Liam Friggin' Neeson! Come this May, Raimi will own the planet.
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Was AWESOME as the shadow. The movie sucked, but Alec was the shit...but then, I love that guy's work. He can do no wrong...like playing the boy scout leader on SNL...fucking HILARIOUS
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I liked Baldwin's performance, and the movie was fun, but it was hardly a tour de force. If Raimi is such a big fan, he should direct. Passion for the material would help. Anyway, it will obviously be done as a period piece, unless they use the ultra-violent Howard Chaykin revionist version which brought the Shadow into the present day. I am a Chaykin fan since American Flagg, so I enjoyed that, but Raimi will probably make a more "traditional" version set in a retro-thirties type universe. Pulps are great, and I am glad to see that the comic book into films fad is bringing properties like these into production. We need Doc Savage, Conan, the Avenger, etc made into films! Great stuff!
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My wife and I are fans of the previous SHADOW film, even if it comes off like an attempt to cash in on Tim Burton's BATMAN films. In fact, I used to think Baldwin would have made a better Batman than Michael Keaton, but considering Baldwin's become a blimped-out uber-Hollywood liberal, things may have worked out for the best. If nothing else, though, maybe this Raimi project will mean we'll finally get a widescreen special edition DVD release of Baldwin's flick.
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it is possibly Alec Baldwin. What an arrogant bullying toe-rag little bastard he is. We all know that Kim Basinger was being beaten six ways to sundays when she said that developed this phobia that she couldnt get out of the house on Oprah. He couldnt act anyway and that shadow film what a croc. It ended Mulcahys career faster than Harry eats twinkies. Campbell yes. Bladwin as the villian. Christian Bale.
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it is possibly Alec Baldwin. What an arrogant bullying toe-rag little bastard he is. We all know that when Kim Basinger was being beaten six ways to sundays when she said that developed this phobia that she couldnt get out of the house on Oprah. He couldnt act anyway and that shadow film what a croc. It ended Mulcahys career faster than Harry eats twinkies. Campbell yes. Bladwin as the villian. Christian Bale.
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I loved Baldwin's Shadow, but Raimi will do great with this. Actually, I'd like Raimi to direct a film based on Philip Jose Farmer's "Greatheart Silver," an excellent parody send-up of pulp heroes.
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That would be cool.
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I think that guy who played Sherlock Holmes on PBS would make an interesting Shadow. I know someone who was really disappointed in the '94 movie and one of his chief complaints was that the Shadow's laughter needed to be menacing and instead it came off as maniacal.
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is preferrable to this. But it could still be pretty interesting if they make it more mystical and less Batman. Kind of Dr. Strange meets Batman.
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...I ever walked out of. I just couldn't sit there any longer and watch that shit masquerading as celluloid. Terrible.
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I feel you man. My dad died last year and there are a dozen movies I wish he could have seen. This one goes right on the list, along with Revenge of the Sith, Superman Returns, Apocalypto, The Departed, Batman Begins, etc...and man, he would have loved seeing Casino Royale. He'd been waiting decades for a non-sissy Bond. In other notes, hey, Liam Neeson would be the perfect Shadow. Because, technically, he kinda already played the character for Raimi, except he was called "Darkman" and instead of hiding in the darkness, he used other faces... Ah, who cares, bring it on!!! Anything to take the inevitable bad taste of Ghost Rider and FF2 out of our mouths.
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Darkman. Could a neeson/Raimi reunion be on the cards. Neeson has the voice due to his theaterical background. But one of his kids is sick. His daughter has some illness or other.
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I'm not suggesting Lee, but someone in that vein. Theatrical and mysterious. For once I'm not going to suggest Hugh Jackman.
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A bearded fat texan who goes by the name Harry and who spent ten years designing an anti-hollywood website called aint it cool news or something.
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The word "franchise" sickens me when it's appplied to movies. It was applied by the no talent producers who took over Hollywood to package their products rather than make worthwhile cinema. Let's not use their language please.
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and a movie.. have you seen all the junk that's associated with spiderman? (mugs, toys, pens, video game etc.) it's a franchise.
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The Evil Dead (producer) Dibbuk Box (producer) The Man Who Couldn't Forget(producer) Boogeyman 2(producer) Priest(producer) 30 Days of Night (producer) The Messengers (producer) And now The Shadow.
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Down with the franchise!
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This is the best news I've had all year. I hope Raimi directs it!
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Sorry, Raimis name means absolute shit these days to me. He uses up all of his energy on Spiderman.
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part of all the Batman films: they had to sidle him with a love interest and give him some contrived motivation as to why he is kicking butt and taking names. The Shadow should be more mysterious than Batman, almost scary. We don't need to "feel his pain" and he certainly doesn't need the cliche girlfriend.
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Oh man, if there's one project to resussitate (how the hell do you spell that?) the currently flaccid career of the Coen Brothers, it's this! C'mon Sam, get them on it, you know you can. Can you imagine the Coens, Roger Deakins, and their awesome group of actors working with this material? That'd be the best. They need a come back. Raimi's best work was co writing The Hudsucker Proxy.
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They seem to specialize more in noir folk tales, so maybe something like that wouldn't appeal to them. But I think it would be an interesting experiment.
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raimi didnt actually dislike venom. they thought ahead two movies and start talking about how he didnt like the character? i know theyre a step a head...but please www.carpemundus.com - we know how spiderman 8 ends
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Its about time....
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what? why? OMG you broke my lame-ometer.
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The Chinatown Death Cloud Peril!!! Give The Shadow to the crew that made V for Vendetta.
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Before you blast The Shadow I suggest you do your homework and realize you wouldn't have a fourth of the movies and TV shows you watch and the comics and books you read if it was not for the success of The Shadow radio programs and pulps. You don't have to like The Shadow but the last you should do is talk shit about a character that lead the way for the kind of entertainment you visit Aint It Cool News for. Show a little respect.
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big time
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Yes, let's remake another movie that's LESS THAN 15 YEARS OLD! A sorry ass Batman/Dick Tracy character at that. Go fuck yourself, Hollywood.
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You know he's got the voice and presence for it, and you just know he'd fuck your shit up. Never, ever happen though.<p>I'm not a "Bruce Campbell for everything!" kinda guy, but I could see him working in the role, just so long as he didn't cheese it all up. Neeson would be a decent choice too.<p> It'll probably end up being Ben Affleck or worse though...
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The Shadow came before Batman, and was first birthed on radio about a month prior to Dick Tracy's first strips appearing. And as others have said, The Shadow's influence on pop culture, books, tv, comics and radio has extended far and wide, and as such, I surely don't begrudge him another shot at film.
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Word.
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He's been playing good guys and I kind of like it. And although I am not a huge Hugo Weaving fan, he's got the voice, the profile, and the appropriately creepy demeanor. Probably too similar in tone to V at this point, but he would be pretty good.
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you should know that "the shadow" (as a character on radio and in books) predates both dick tracy and batman - and no one complained when christopher nolan made "batman begins" (the latest in a long succession of batman movies) - the success of which im sure had something to do with this new "shadow" going ahead - along with raimis attachment - personally id rather see someone make a "doc savage" movie - or some other character we havent seen lately or at all
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I second Cleyu! It is time...
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As the SHADOW!!!! Nuff said.
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Bad idea. I like Bruce, but come on. I've seen Oldman mentioned and he can pull off about any role so he is a winner. Ian McShane is getting too old to play Lamont Cranston, although he would make a great Shadow villain. Christopher Lee is also too old. WAY too old. I think Clive Owen would make a great Shadow. An even better Shadow than he would have been Bond (no offense to Craig). He has the right look, he can do action, and he can be a scary bastard like the character requires.
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He certainly looks like the character physically, and would also make a great Lamont Cranston, but I think they would have to do something about his voice as the Shadow. Also, I hope that the filmmakers look at the great Shadow comics produced by Mike Kaluta and, especially, Frank Robbins for inspiration and reference. Great stuff!
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With a lot of work and understanding of the character I think Bordy could pull it off. If he took it as seriously as he did his Pianist character then I'm all for it.
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Obviously he's too old, but in his prime he'd be ideal. The eyes and the voice are key.
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like a weasel. The Shadow is supposed to look like a MAN. A grown, adult, male. Why don't we get Andy Serkis to play the Shadow?
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i second the Chinatown Death Cloud motion. It would be way more tits at this point than yet another reboot. Paul Giamatti as the fat one
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but that was just a guess. All I know about the Shadow is the Baldwin movie.
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Direct it yourself!
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And the Phantom and every other dark avenging character. That doesn't change the fact that it's been done to death.
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Who cares about that stupid character.
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would have been a better title for the article. 'the shadow knows sam raimi' shows that this site is losing its inspiration and imagination.... hopefully they won't make it with baldwin involved this time around. Please no ben affleck wannabe baldwin either. Someone either new or unknown hopefully. If not ill settle with jude law, daniel craig, or christian bale
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By Fix, I mean fix the bad bluescreen work near the films climax and release a 2 disc 'Director's Cut' of the film. I could give a rats ass about the crappy direct-to-video sequels. Raimi could've also "fixed" the obvious wire work in EVIL DEAD 2:DEAD BY DAWN's climax as well; using modern wire-removal techniques.
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That might be why.
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The man has class and can act.
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That title always manages to give me a chuckle.
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I will retire my zombie slaying ways to take a weedwacker to crime, and cloud men's minds.
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Cool news indeed. Should be a hoot.
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... in black and white. True Noir style
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Like an implosive-explosive submolecular device.
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The last time someone tried to make this movie they did a fair job of it and it still sucked and devervingly bombed at the box office. Because no matter how good you do it, it's still The Shadow and still sucks. Let it rest in peace.
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Which, of course, won the Oscar for Best Movie Ever Made.
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Get Liam Neeson back (hell, even France McDormand) and do it RIGHT this time. And n way in hell should Raimi Pull A Lucas on the original by cleaning up the bluescreen. The film's low-budget look is one of it's chief pleasures, and really helps sell it's pulp comic-book flavor (far more successfully than Raimi's Spider-Man films, despite the brilliant "tentacle massacre" sequence in the second film). While I'd love to see a remastered special edition DVD of the original Darkman, don't you dare change any of the F/X. Oh yeah, and to stay on-topic, the Shadow movie was pretty dumb. Some wonderful F/X and cinematography, but full of silly dialogue and lame writing. While I wouldn't mind another attempt at a movie, it's way too soon to be thinking of that. Wait at least another decade.
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Maybe even black and white, with the only colors the blood red of his scarf and the terror of the criminals!
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The Sequel to Die Darkman Die.
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Would make a great Shadow, but not Lamont Cranston. His Shadow would be a BMF. I stand corrected, superninja, Lee in his prime would make an excellent Shadow, maybe a perfect Shadow.
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This is beyond cool, The Shadow is definitely one of the most interesting characters in both the history of pulp radio and comic books. Which is even more amazing considering how long he's been around. So layered! Bring that ruthless anti-hero to the screen with a treatment that the material deserves. I want to see him KILLING BADDIES! GO RAIMI YOU CAN DO IT RIGHT! I have no doubt this movie will rock, I mean, Darkman is an awesome anti-hero.
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He has more talent in his left nut than most of today's directors.
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But he's the exception - not the rule.
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I dunno if he's too old, but he's got the nose for it, and he kinda sounds like Orson.
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...it was called DARKMAN. And it blew ass. Raimi = severly overrated.
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If he directs, we'll get EVIL DEAD, SPIDER-MAN, THE GIFT, A SIMPLE PLAN. If he just produces it, we'll get BOOGIEMAN or THE GRUDGE. Even his worst attempts at directing, THE QUICK AND THE DEAD and CRIMEWAVE were better than BOOGIEMAN and THE GRUDGE. Personally, I'd rather see him do EVIL DEAD IV or get back to making more Hitchcock type thrillers.
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it's a bad Scrabble hand
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OK, I'll give you CRIMEWAVE... Granted I've only seen a bootleg of it and from books we know that it was mired in MAJOR interference from the studio that Raimi (at the time) was in no position to question... But THE QUICK AND THE DEAD??? Come on now... I think that movie is one of about a half dozen westerns that Clint Eastwood was not involved in- that I can even stand. The story may have just been a fairly transparent rack to hang his directorial style on... but MAN what style. He goes NUTS in that movie and it's so damn kinetic as a result. And the acting is top notch across the board (though admittedly showy, but that was intentional). So, I gotta ask what your beed with it is? Now FOR LOVE OF THE GAME on the other hand... Heh.
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I just watched Spies Like Us for the first time since like 1989 (a bit crappier than I remembered) & was shocked to see Sam Raimi, both Coens, & Terri Gilliam all had cameos. According to the credits Ray Harryhausen was in it too, but I didn't catch it because I had no idea what he looked like. What's up w/ all the cool cameos? The only cameos I caught back in the day were B.B.King & Bob Hope (way obvious).
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No one knows what happened to the Wee Free Men movie that Sam was supposed to direct? AICN reported on it here ---> http://www.aintitcool.com/node/22164?semperex-search What? Was it a lie or just wishful thinking?
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...seek him here, they seek him there, that damned elusive sha-a-dow.
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John Lone and Tim Curry were WAY over the top and were very embarrassing. I was so disappointed in that film. To me it was going to be a perfect film, some great actors and a director of one of my favorite films of all time. What a train wreck of a film. To this day I have not been able to look at it again. <p> I hold no hope of Rami making a better film, if Darkman is an example. Of the eight films of his that I've seen, I only liked The Gift and For Love of the Game. Oh how I wish Cameron had Spiderman...
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Is right on! Just imagine his masked face, with a spotlight on his menacing eyes- perfect Shadow right there (short of Chris Lee circa 1968) Too bad The Shadow is the kind of property that only geeks who are shunned by other geeks are into. I'd much rather see them get the ball rolling on another Conan movie, or better yet, a Conan maxi-series on HBO that spends each season on a different period of the Cimmerian's life (Reaver,pirate,theif,gladiator,warlord) culminating with the last season, King Conan. Oh yeah, instead of live action, have squaresoft animate the whole thing. If the powers that be could get that project made, the possibilities for kicking all sorts of unholy ass would be limitless.Someone get me a pitch session at HBO, stat!
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Highlander was good IN SPITE of him. Christopher Lamert, Sean Connery and the fun script made that movie work. Mulcahy mostly got in the way with his overwrought camera trickery.
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Good call on Highlander. The movie certainly worked in spite of Mulcahy, just like what worked about the 94 Shadow was also in spite of his innate sense of camp and camera tricks.
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You just need to watch Highlander 3 and 4 to see that Mulcahy was integral to the success of the origional. In H2 - he couldn't overcome the script - but the film is visually dazzling and wonderfully original. What worked in The Shadow WAS Mulcahy's style - and little else.
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Too close...
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...was one of the few movies I walked out on, and one of the worst of all time.
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Cranston is enigmatic, not tortured. It's the only thing that makes the Shadow edgy. What you're suggesting is the formula used for every superhero film - teenage angst + girl issues. It works with Spiderman, and that's about it.
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That's too bad. I wonder when the boys at AICN will inform everyone. It seems they have been a bit lazy the last couple of days. I guess the BNAT tore em' up.
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everyone knows that the Shadow needs a girlfriend and probably a little orphan for a sidekick so we can feel his pain.
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Do you guys really want a character like the Shadow played by ham fisted goofball comic actor like Campbell? And I find Rami films to be too cartoon-ny
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that was it was over shadowed by Jim Carreys The mask and that awful billy zane movie The Phantom, but mostly The Mask.
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If not Raimi, then David Fincher
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I forgot about FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME. And that was probably on purpose. It's like me, as a Coen Brothers fan, trying to forget INTOLERABLE CRUELTY. When I overlook that one, I usually chalk it up to, hey, the guy had to do a kiss-ass studio picture to make bucks to do a film he really wanted to do. Probably, in this case, THE GIFT. As for me naming THE QUICK AND THE DEAD as one of his less than perfect films, I never said it was a bad movie. My point was it's a lesser movie than the EVIL DEADs and the SPIDER-MANs and A SIMPLE PLAN and THE GIFT. I picked up two of them. Those two stuck out to me as being the lesser two of his career. So calm down. I do like TQATD. I also like CRIMEWAVE in a carefree sort of shits and giggles way.
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Yeah. In the day, that's why most people made a big deal of the picture. Because of all the cameos. It's still a pretty funny film in an 80s cheese sort of way. The opening is classic (Chevy watching the Ronald Reagan Musical). And come on..."What's a dickfer?" That cracks me up every time.
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Oh. And I guess the overall point was that his lesser two directing projects are way better than his best producer projects. And I stand by that even with FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME. That movie was well made. What killed it was the generic script and the casting.
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I forgot about DARKMAN. That's a good one too. That's a crazy film that's just built on style and over-the-top flare. Classic Raimi. Just like the tv production of MANTIS. Okay. Kidding. I did like AMERICAN GOTHIC though. And I suppose he gets kudos for HERCULES and XENA. Not really my thing. But you can tell he had a lot of fun with the series, as executive producer.
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Here's another thought though. How about Christian Bale. Both Batman Begins and the Prestigue shows that he has a gift for being dark and mysterious. Someone mentioned Clive Owen and he would be cool too. He was great in Sin City.
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